Hi every body, first I wanna say that I started this project after stumbling across "Castillo de Gnomoca" and "The Blackstone Keep", and that before that I just moved stuff around... Although inspired by them, my goal was just to build "something pretty" and I said, "hey, I can use this stone here and it would look nice" so I did a little decoration. After that the kingdom took "a life of its own".

So, this story is about the Merry followers of the Cider-tree who came to the "Busted Kingdom" in quest for riches, glory and cider...

Chapter I

It began like any other kingdom:P a few gnomes (9 to be precise) and two yaks who decided to start anew and settle in a land of magic (not yet) and cider. All they wanted, actually, was to get drunk, but first they had to earn it, they had to get their hands dirty, sweat, dig into the bowels of the earth and fight its daemons (no, not the balrog) made of lava and rock (that, actually, would be nice, a lava golem) and the ones who came at night (again, not vampires). But after a while they hardened and started to get out of those caves and so began the construction of little village and they called it "The Merry Followers of the Cider-Tree" (yes, I repeat myself)

The beginning

During that time the counsel was formed and the construction of the "Great hall" occurred (yeah, I know, not THAT great, it must be they were not planing on using it too much), where the counsil was to meet and decide the future of their little nation. And so the pillars of "The Merry Followers of the Cider-Tree" were writen (they made a banner and all):

At this point ALL they could see where cubes...

(Let me take a moment to say that I did steal the banner idea from "the Blackstone Keep" but I loved it, what can I say?)

The banner depicts a tree (in case you haven't noticed) with the roots... (and yes, IT is "The Cider-Tree) from the land and the earth and longing for a home. The trunk from the Sturdy core of this clan. And the metals, from bottom to top: copper- blood, sacrifice and warmth. bronze- the earth, the mountain and the riches within. Malachite- life, food and everything that is green, like malachite (OK, that was cheap). Iron- the symbol of the forge and battle and the quest for: steel- A sense of achievement and the acknowledgment that only the sky is the limit (because, in fact, gnomes shouldn't like the sky, they are supposed to live underground, aren't they?)

The Spirit of these people was to be united by only one true sentiment: they were all equal (not that I can tell one from the other)... but apparently some of them where more equal than others, as they say, and decided to make themselves a palace (not that they actually lift a finger, you know, soldiers don't work in this game, they just play with their swords aaalll daaay) and so, another construction began (aparently this game is about that).

and a detail of the bottom floor

And, hence, a breach between the nobility and the rest of the "pesty little diggers" began and class strugle was inevitable... (they get along just fine, really, if not for the full steel, non working, soldiers they would be all goblin fodder by now)

And now I have to take a brake, to actually do stuff, nah... I'll just continue playing. But I hope you liked this first chapter of ...."The Merry Followers of the Cider-Tree"

Hello again, all is good in the shire... but we are not talking about that, we are here for another chapter of (blah, blah blah).

Chapter II

but where were we? oh, yes, the clash of the classes! The next guild to come out of the dark cave was, accustomed to the sun and fresh air, the "farmers club", and like everybody else in this community (except for the soldiers, which know nothing o'nothing) built their home to their liking with what they knew: Wood, stone, straw and dirt (of which they only knew straw, but I wanted to use wood and stone also, like this gnomes know anything about aesthetics)

OH, I almost forgot, below the house you can see the market square which was the first thing I built... sorry, the gnomes built... per pure aesthetic reasons. They were feeling artistic I think...

Anyway, soon after, following the the same logic, and because they were jealous, (not that they weren't jealous of the soldiers, but which gnome can compete with that?) the Hunter's lodge (there is no hunter's lodge, were in fact the woodcutter and forester) make themselves at home at the side of the lake (which at that moment didn't exist) and among their beloved grove (which the woodcutter secretly hated... wow, they are like ying and yang).

And, as more and more gnomes continued to make their way to the surface, the need for protection became a necessity and the next big project was planed" they were going to build the great wall (like the Chinese one but just little smaller) the construction lasted for years and lots of Chinese died (yeah, Chinese).

Those that you see in the picture working are actually chinese (OMG, this guy has a problem).

But at last it was completed, you know how this chinese people work, they are relentless... It had everything a great wall should have, even a little secret door for smuggling.

We'll get to that later.

A beacon for call friendly kingdoms (I might have taken that from a movie) three beacons in fact.

A passage through the mines of... ok, I went too far, but is a passage nonetheless.

A river going under (one wonders why the goblins didn't blow it up, or at least try to swim through)

It even has a mural, where the gnomes "painted" what they thought was important). In it (I probably have to explain it no?) one can see the symbol of the community, the bloody tree, which is still to be found, a yak, some wheat, in the left in steel blue I tried to make a soldier with a sword and the little cross in malachite is supposed to "represent" a goblin. Between them is copper simulating a battle and blood and all those things we like when we download a movie)

Inside every tower, of which I mentioned there are three is a place for the night watch to rest... no comment about it.

And finally, the entrance:

With not one but two of those trees this gnomes seems to like so much. Later I'll show you the security of the door.

And with this concludes this chapter of this psychotic story, which eventually will have to get to a point... or not.

PS. the gnomes seem to be very proud of their wall, which cost them exactly 28695 chinese, 6 yaks (they had to eat something) and one Argentinian, that would be me, and I'm saying it to avoid cultural conflicts, I love the chinese and all their culture, practice kung fu and study Chinese... just in case)

Hello again, for those who already read the post, and welcome, for those who haven't.

Chapter III

And now that the wild had been conquered, at least inside the wall, the less brave, but not less important, gnomes began to come out, those who seem to think highly of themselves, the so called "artisans", or "middle class", so to speak. They even named a road with their name (we''l get to that shortly).

the firs ones where the cooker and the brewer.

And like the other gnomes before them, they did what thought best for their business and built their freaking shop in the freaking town center!

But what I really wanted to say is that they built it with love and in harmony with their "profession"

With their home on top and the the shop beneath. (so they can produce non stop like the enslaved gnomes they are, just enough time to get some sleep and continue working)

...and the tailor. Who built it in a similar fashion...

and last, buy not least, the blacksmith, who being all the time around metal didn't have a better idea than to live in little metal bunker (I think this one has security issues)

An as this little neighborhood took shape the "rue des artisans" (or artisan road) was born...

The little park with the chairs is where they gather to plot their little guild schemes...

As Adam Smith said: “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.” (One of the thing you can learn when playing the glorious game that is CIVILIZATION, IV to be precise)

and the park on top is the roof of the Great Hall (not so petty after all, it just doesn't add KG) which has an opening in the middle where you can see a line of birches growing inside.

At this moment I'm sure you are all very amused, but can't help to wonder (sure you can't), "...and the Cider-Tree? where is the god damned Cider-Tree?..." Well, I'm happy that you asked, because I was just about to tell you, so please don't interrupt me!

Now that the they where settled and free to come and go, the mants where soldier practice and the goblins still a force to be reckoned with but thanks to the security of the kingdom, not really a problem... (I told you I was going to tell you about the security, didn't I?) Sooo.... I'm going to make use of this moment and tell you about it:

it is a simple one, but has proven to be a very effective one too, with no traps and good looking! All for the price of one alpaca or a "three headed llama", whatever you manage to get first.

It consist in a series of door traps (I know I said no traps, I meant the other kind) which is sequenced so each level block the other and so when the goblin raid come in numbers the first ones will trap the rest and the gnomes can kill them by the few and if the happen to get "stuck" my itinerant ranged/common profession militia can "help" them get "unstuck". and life can continue like it's supposed. (I wish I had a screenshot of it in use, so I'll continue playing till I do and post it). But the best part is that gnomes and merchant that "travel" alone can pass the trap freely, so, in essence, the door is always "open".

But that is not all, oh no, that is not the only "weapon" this goblins have. They also have a secret weapon! which is about to be revealed. After numerous battles and with the help of the local druid, they learnt to draw power from their foes and after each battle the call upon the spirits of the earth and war and in a very complex and exhausting ritual they offer the remains of their fallen enemies in exchange for power and women and... well, more power.

This sacred ground is located outside the walls so not only it is complex but dangerous as well!

And with this I put an end to the third chapter and... what? you thought I was going to tell you about The Tree? oh no, how else would I leave you wanting for more? But don't you worry, sooner or later I'll get without thing to show you and I'm bound to get to that. (that is, assuming they now where it is yet)

We are here again for new chapter, hello and welcome everybody!, and I'd like to start with a few things unsaid in the previous. First a picture of the door in action:

Here you can see how the goblins are trapped and the ranged militia is having fun beyond safety. It may not appear so, but there are currently around 15-20 goblins and two headed ogres in there, most of them with full steel or iron platemail.

Secondly, not all the craftsmen joined the craftsmen guild. The carpenter and his assistance made their home carved out of the mountain, half wood half dirt, apparently still attached to the caves, although some said they are part of another, secret, guild.

It's a four story building with, stockpile on bottom, two sawmills, two carpenters and two residences for the carpenter and his right hand.

Chapter IV (or how everything is better when you are drunk)

And so the gnomes had their palace, their Great Wall, their homes, their guilds and scheming and all was well in their little lives except for one thing, their life quest was still unfulfilled. Where on The Busted Land was this legendary tree? Now that the other, more important, things in life, were satisfied, the were able to begin the search. They looked in the farthest regions of their, actually very little, kingdom. From the deepest caverns (told you, this gnomes have no sense whatsoever) to the highest mountains, they even asked around... and when all hope seemed to be lost in the highest, almost inaccessible, peak of the highest mountain there IT was, magnificent, like a vision! All the hard work, all the spilled blood (mostly of the goblins really) wouldn't have been in vain, what a sight what dream come true!

After the Cider-Tree was found, and the first cider was made, they actually couldn't do anything for like a day or so, but after that the news of this magical elixir spread the entire known world. And people from other kingdoms came to see the miracle. Many go to the top of the mountain to worship and leave offerings, mostly thing they don't use any more, but still... And so was the magnitude of the exodus, that "The Merry Followers of the Cider-Tree" now is close to visitors or new gnomes. (Yeah, they are cool like that). But that doesn't mean that people, and stuff, stopped coming, and, for example, there is a vast underground net of smugglers, told ya!, of which, is believed, the carpenter is the god father. And a little community began to form in the outskirts of the town.

Where mostly merchants try to sell their goods to the valiant visitors that still visit the shrine, or try... and an Inn the take care of their need, and no, it's not a whorehouse. sadly, this is what happnes when you don't belong:

And there lies one of those brave merchants...

Nowadays the gnomes spend most of their time in the Great Hall drinking and telling stories, mostly lies...

But not everyone... there is one gnome that hasn't been mentioned, but it should have, which with out all of this wouldn't have been possible: the stonemason. Which couldn't build himself a home or be right now in the picture because someone had to cut ALL THAT ROCK!

There he is, the poor thing, still working...

And, like all good thing, this story comes to and end, a story of laughs and cries, a story of rocks and yaks.

Thank you all! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, or, at least read it for crying out loud!

Thanks! Its my first and I'm very fond of it! What I did the most with the forest was to plant "any" clipping and the cut down and replant by sectors that way it "grew" in this fashion.

I hope we get to see your tower soon and, by the way, your merchant mechanism is very, very, very... impressive! I didn't actually congrat in the post because I'm still to get it fully. ... so, what do you think of the system I propose here? Is it worth to make a post of it or is way too common?

Thanks again for your support!

see ya!

Edit: I went back and checked what was that I posted and noticed that there was some info missing in the "door mechanism" part, so I updated it.

This part:

"But the best part is that gnomes and merchant that "travel" alone can pass the trap freely, so, in essence, the door is always "open"."

Other than that, here's a tip: start in any corner, then scroll the window with the pointer clicking and drawing from the corresponding corner of the screen so the cursor would end in the opposite corner in the same x or y level. that way you minimize the number of screenshots making sure they all overlap.

I hope we get to see your tower soon and, by the way, your merchant mechanism is very, very, very... impressive! I didn't actually congrat in the post because I'm still to get it fully. ... so, what do you think of the system I propose here? Is it worth to make a post of it or is way too common?

Sorry for the slow reply! It's a very nice layout, so much more pleasing to the eye than my mechanical monstrosity of a gate, it's a huge clunker. I'm terribly lazy when micromanaging my merchants and the goods I buy off them so I created that system.

Whatever works well for you is always the best! Mine will never quite look as pretty D:

About my kingdom - I'm SUPER slow at terraforming, I'll get round to it soon and hope to share in a week or two

Other than that, here's a tip: start in any corner, then scroll the window with the pointer clicking and drawing from the corresponding corner of the screen so the cursor would end in the opposite corner in the same x or y level. that way you minimize the number of screenshots making sure they all overlap.